Wed Oct 15 00:40:00 UTC 2025: **FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**’Dancing with the Stars’ Dedication Night Filled with Tears, Tributes, and Emotional Performances**

Los Angeles, CA – October 15, 2023 – Season 34 of “Dancing with the Stars” showcased an emotionally charged “Dedication Night” on October 14th, with the ten remaining couples paying tribute to influential figures in their lives. For the first time ever, dedicated family and friends joined the couples on the ballroom floor, adding an extra layer of sentiment to the performances.

Judges Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba, and Derek Hough were joined by former “Dancing with the Stars” pro Kym Johnson.

**Highlights of the Night:**

* **Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas:** Their contemporary dance dedicated to Whitney’s husband, Conner, who made sacrifices for her to compete, brought the judges to tears. Their dance to “Heal” by Jamal Roberts earned high praise, with Derek Hough even commenting on Conner’s apparent dancing skills.
* **Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten:** Celebrating friendship, Elaine dedicated her Foxtrot to Lisa Ann Walter, her “Parent Trap” costar. Lisa Ann joined the pair for a three-person dance, with fellow “Parent Trap” actor Dennis Quaid supporting from the audience.
* **Robert Irwin and Witney Carson:** Robert broke down while discussing his mother, Terri Irwin, who raised him after his father Steve Irwin’s death. Their contemporary routine to “You’ll Be in My Heart” by Phil Collins concluded with Terri joining them on the dance floor, prompting tears from the judges and audience.
* **Andy Richter and Emma Slater:** Andy dedicated his Salsa to his daughter, Cornelia, who joined them towards the end of the dance. The performance was praised for its playful energy and love.
* **Other performances:** Jen Affleck dedicated a Viennese Waltz to her mother; Jordan Chiles a Viennese Waltz to her father; Alix Earle and Dylan Efron dedicated Contemporary dances to their sisters, respectively; Danielle Fishel a Jive to her former Boy Meets World costar, Bill Daniels; and Scott Hoying a Foxtrot to his husband.

Prior to the show, Robert Irwin revealed the week had been emotionally challenging, as he tapped into emotions he had not shared publicly before, thinking of his father. Jen Affleck shared that she had been sick all week and was dedicating her dance to mothers “who show up daily, serve without days off, and suffer in silence.”

At the end of the night, live viewer votes were combined with judges’ scores to determine the couple that would be eliminated.

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